Community Construction Volunteer Project in Laos, Luang Prabhang
Get your hands dirty by constructing and renovating temples, schools, and more at a rural Laotian village! A program designed for those who don’t mind getting a bit sweaty and their hands dirty! You’ll spend your time working in construction and renovation wherever it’s needed at the time. The village we work in remains extremely rural, so there is always a lot of work to be done!
To book an activity with us we require you to participate for a minimum of two weeks. Therefore, you would need to book a quantity of two for this activity, unless you choose a separate activity to go with it. See the ‘Related trips…’ section for more options.
Programme Description
Schools, temples, roads, medical centres and houses are just a few of the places we have worked on in the tiny rural village we are set in. Work remains to be done and it’s the perfect chance to get yourself busy while giving something back to the Laotian people! You might end up constructing classrooms, renovating Buddhist temples, painting walls, building desks, landscaping, paving dirt roads and more! Work varies and we focus on working on what is needed most at the time. It’s not just all work! You’ll bond with as a hard working team, making new friends from Laos and all over the world!
CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) Check
It is required that participants complete a CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) check in order to take part in this project.
Start dates are every week of the year with your activities starting on a Monday. We therefore request you arrive anytime on the Sunday.
Your trip will finish on the Saturday morning when you will need to vacate the accommodation.
Aims & Objectives
- Improve the facilities of a local community
- Develop your teamwork skills through practical work
- Breakfast
- Working in the placements
- Lunch
- Working in the placements
- Dinner
Additional Requirements
- Document(s) must be submitted 2 weeks prior to arrival date
- Additional Equipment
- Sturdy shoes
Location
Ban Houakhoua Village is located in the Naxaythong District, located about 25 kilometres from Vientiane, the country’s capital. This location allows for the best of both worlds, its rural nature will give you a taste of Laos while still being close enough to the city!
Accommodation & Food
The accommodation is tucked away in the countryside of Laos, allowing you to get a true taste of Laotian sceneries. It is surrounded by rice fields and lakes and has a modern Lao restaurant at the property entrance. Rooms are single gender with up to 6 participants per room. There are no hot water showers currently, but hot water for a bucket shower is available upon request. There are occasional power outages that can affect the pump which allows the flow of water, so it is important to keep your bucket filled in your bathroom in case this happens. There is no Wifi on the campus and we therefore recommend all participants purchase a local SIM card for internet access.
Available Room Types
|
|
Standard Room |
Private Room |
|
All meals included |
Yes * |
Yes * |
|
Free beverages |
Yes ** |
Yes ** |
|
Persons per room |
4-6 |
1-6 |
|
Wifi in public areas |
No |
No |
|
Laundry facilities |
No |
No |
|
Safety box |
No |
No |
|
Lockable rooms |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Hot shower |
No |
No |
|
Private bathroom |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Bed linen |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Towels |
No |
No |
|
Air conditioning |
No |
No |
|
Fan |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mosquito protection |
Yes |
Yes |
* 3 meals served on weekdays, only 2 meals on weekends
** Water, coffee and tea served at the accommodation
Food Arrangements
We offer a variety of local Laotian dishes. Participants may find that the cuisine is quite different from what they are used to at home, as there are very few western dishes served. Local dishes can sometimes be adapted to accommodate vegetarians, but can be a bit challenging with other dietary restrictions. Please inform the local team of your specific needs and they will do their best. However, please consider that it may not be possible to meet those personal tastes or guidelines everyday to your satisfaction. In instances like this we do suggest, bringing some of your own items to supplement the food being served.
Facilities
Shops
You can find simple groceries and beverages sold in two local restaurants located next to the accommodation. There are also shops and a local market located 3 minutes and 10 minutes away respectively, by foot. There is also a pharmacy and local clinic located less than 5 kilometres away.
There is a lake-side makeshift restaurant just for us, where you can enjoy the evenings and order Western or Laotian food at reasonable prices.
Transportation
Vientiane is located about 25 kilometres away and it is very easy to reach via public transport from our center and back. Anything that you might need can be found there, with its numerous shopping malls, a cinema and local markets to explore! There are also bikes available for you to use to explore the area during the afternoons. It is important to note that the local transport stops running early, so you should check with the local team to ensure that you are returning early enough to catch it, as private transport can be quite pricey by local standards.
Money
We advise all participants to bring some local currency with them for personal expenses, or use the ATM at the airport when they arrive. The closest ATM machine can be found on the main road to Vientiane, approximately 5 kilometres from the accommodation. Money can also be exchanged in Vientiane.
Mandatory Orientation Day
On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to familiarise you with the surroundings as well as local culture. Your program will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.
Schedule
- Introduction meeting, House rules, Setting Expectations, Health and Safety Advice and handling of documents
- Lao Do’s and Don’ts, Lao Culture Lessons and Lao Language Lessons
- Tour around the compound and local area; where to find local shops, and arrange a sim-card if necessary
- Lunch
- Vegetable planting
- Activities & Events
- These optional activities can be enjoyed by all participants of all programs staying at this location
Tuesday, Evenings
There is a BBQ night every Tuesday, which provides a perfect opportunity to relax and spend time with other participants on our lakeside restaurant!
Wednesday, Evenings
Cozy movie night at the accommodation
Thursday, Evenings
We will head to a local restaurant (or if preferred stay in our location) to enjoy one of Southeast Asia’s favourite activities – Karaoke! (or “sing a song” as the locals like to call it)
Sights & Surroundings
Vientiane City
A laid-back, French-influenced city situated on the banks of the Mekong River and is located only 25 minutes away from our centre. This ancient city, is different from any other capital city in Southeast Asia. With its authentic Laotian and French colonial style, it truly is ‘a pearl at the Mekong”.
Vang Vieng
A favorite go-to place for our participants during their weekends! The city is a major backpacker hub, made famous thanks to its nightlife and outdoor activities such as biking, hiking and kayaking.
Luang Prabang
Although a bit further afield it is still worth the journey for sure. It is one of the most beautiful towns in Southeast Asia thanks to its alluring mountainous landscapes and riverside location!
Transportation
From this location we provide free transport to your next program at the following location(s): Sayaboury
Accommodation
Volunteer camp with shared rooms (4-6 people per room); Basic but comfortable; The accommodation is tucked away in the countryside of Laos, allowing you to get a true taste of Laotian sceneries. It is surrounded by rice fields and lakes and has a modern Lao restaurant at the property entrance. Rooms are single gender with up to 6 participants per room. There are no hot water showers currently, but hot water for a bucket shower is available upon request. There are occasional power outages that can affect the pump which allows the flow of water, so it is important to keep your bucket filled in your bathroom in case this happens. There is no Wifi on the campus and we therefore recommend all participants purchase a local SIM card for internet access.
Food
3 meals a day are provided on weekdays, and then 2 meals per day on weekends; a variety of local Laotian dishes are offered. Participants may find that the cuisine is quite different from what they are used to at home, as there are very few western dishes served. Local dishes can sometimes be adapted to accommodate vegetarians, but can be a bit challenging with other dietary restrictions. Please inform the local team of your specific needs and they will do their best. However, please consider that it may not be possible to meet those personal tastes or guidelines everyday to your satisfaction. In instances like this we do suggest, bringing some of your own items to supplement the food being served.
Training
A full orientation and project induction takes place. You will also receive full training relevant to your volunteer role.
Support
Pre-departure help and advice; Local in-country team; 24 hour emergency support.
Donation
Part of your fee is used to buy decent equipment for the project and community you work with. If you wish to bring further donation, please make sure that this is in the form of equipment and not monetary donations.
- Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Visas
- Vaccinations
- Spending money
- In country travel
- Laundry service
- Extra activities not on itinerary
- Departure transfer
Preferred Duration
The Programme is a minimum of one week long. There is no preferred duration but we believe that the longer you can stay the more you will experience and benefit.
Pre-requisites
No prior experience or qualifications are required and it is important that you can speak English. All participants require a CRB/DBS check to take part in the project activities.
Ideal for
Volunteer Holidays and Placements in Asia; Community Work and Activity Breaks in Laos, Volunteer Gap Years and Career Breaks in Laos, Student Summer Holidays in Laos, cultural experience Laos, construction project Laos, building Laos, build Asia
Suitable for ages 18 to 80
Most participants are between 18 and 25, so please be aware of this. We do welcome older people because of the value and experience they bring to the community.
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